Should Revealing Clothes Be Illegal?

A seaside town on the Italian coast is apparently entertaining a ban on miniskirts, low cut pants, and other revealing clothing. Castellammare di Stabia, which is on the Bay of Naples and popular with tourists, has even considered prohibiting sunbathing. Mayor Luigi Bobbio told the BBC that the regulations would help "restore urban decorum and facilitate better civil co-existence" and that he wants to target people who are "rowdy, unruly, or simply badly behaved." Fines would range from 25 Euros ($30) to 500 euros ($692).

While this seems like a bad business decision for a town that depends on tourists flocking to its beaches, it goes deeper than that. Bikinis and short skirts are no more likely to make people act "rowdy" than high heels or red lipstick. Putting limits on the way people dress—rather than seeking out people who may be guilty of a crime—seems like the worst way to make your town a safer, more civil place.